GTSG Mainframe Support Services
It's true - we grew up as a Mainframe Consulting company. Our roots are there. It's no accident that we have great depth in our Mainframe staff and offer value-priced services to our customers in need of our services.
Our Mainframe Support Services focus on the more technical aspects of the environment. By that we mean that we're primarily engaged in the Systems Programming side of the Mainframe environment. This broad Systems Programming umbrella includes roles such as: DBA, Performance/Capacity Management, Technical Project Management, Application performance, Batch/Online performance improvements, High Availability, Disaster Recovery, etc. If we didn't list it and your willing to email us, please do so and we'll get back to you immediately.
Your time permitting, take a quick read through what we feel to be the current of upcoming challenges you are likely to experience with your Mainframe staff.
The Environment
Many organizations today struggle to support their IBM Mainframe environment as existing staff are lost due to attrition, retirement, and a number of other business reasons. For many firms, critical business functions run on the Mainframe and the loss of expertise can have catastrophic impact upon the business.
The Trap
When staff attrition occurs, regardless the cause, the tendency for a quick fix one-for-one replacement is often not the best solution. The same attrition factors are likely still in play.
The problem is rarely the departing individual, but the evolution of technology and perception that Mainframe support careers are not exciting or are going nowhere. All the talk of "abandon your mainframe" have certainly contributed to this perception. Think Dinosaur.
As you might imagine, we at GTSG do not agree with this perception. We have been providing Mainframe services for more than 25 years – and plan to for many more as we feel the Mainframe platform is here to stay.
The Solution
GTSG and our Mainframe Support Services Offering can provide a scalable solution that is always there. Our depth of resources - highly skilled and dependable, work as a team to support you and your ever changing business needs.
The Goal
We designed the Mainframe Support Services Offering with the following goals in mind:
- We support all major software configurations. We've been doing this for so long that we have supported just about every combination of products anyone could come up with.
- We cover the Systems Programming roles as well as those mentioned above. If you have a special need, please take the time to email us and we'll be honest and forthcoming about our ability to support you.
- We provide Application and Operational support - but it's usually from the context of the Technical Support side of the house. We're here to support any and all teams within your IT organization.
- We offer A la carte choice of services and quantity of hours - and we can change that pretty much on demand.
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Our primary component support includes:
- Operating Systems: z/OS, z/VM, z/Linux, TPF, as well as the z/VSE world
- DB/DC Systems: CICS, DB2, IMS, IDMS (for those still out there), and others
- Security: RACF, ACF2, TopSecret (TSS) - we also offer migration services to/from each of these
- Most any past and present ISV product
- If you have a specific need, let us know - if we can't cover it, we'll tell you rather than mislead you and be in trouble when we can't deliver
- We provide on-call support coverage - it's expected that you would want this from us.
- We provide Disaster Recovery support - not only testing, but at Disaster Declaration time.
- We support IBM and non-IBM products and hardware. We have a very large Wintel/Midrange practice and recognize that we need to interact with the Mainframe for services.
- We are committed to aligning ourselves with your existing organization - we want to be plug-and-play to minimize disruptions to the organization or service.
- We provide US-based resources with clearances to meet varying client security requirements.
- We serve as a vendor agnostic Trusted Advisor.
- We are committed to providing value-based pricing.
Sample Support Alternatives
To illustrate the flexibility of our Mainframe Support Services Offering, consider the following customizable options:
- Start Small
Scenario 1: Our client is going to lose some portion of their z/OS and DB2 resources. In addition, there is a need for CICS expertise for transition workloads (e.g., acquisition):
- GTSG provides15-40 hours per week of the required skills if:
- the resource has already left, or
- the resource loss is anticipate
- GTSG participates in the on-call rotation
- GTSG participates in any DR exercises and is available for dispatch in the event of disaster declaration
- GTSG provides "business as usual" support in terms of day-to-day support, tuning, product support, project-based initiatives, etc.
- GTSG provides "trusted advisor" thought leadership and guidance
- Ramp up fast
Scenario 2: Our client has suddenly lost crucial skills and needs "instant on" support:
- GTSG provides all the benefits afforded the "Start Small" alternative - PLUS:
- GTSG provides Support Services Lead (focal point) to coordinate activities
- GTSG provides 40+ hours per week to triage critical situations and assess gaps in coverage
- GTSG provides dedicated on-site resources if needed to support accelerated transition
- GTSG provides ninety day critical situation support with onsite Duty Manager
Don't pass up the opportunity
If you have trouble selling staff augmentation to your management team of feel that it's impossible to achieve a winning price point, reach out to us to see how we can help.
We have worked with a number of clients to help them secure long term support services at price sensitive rates.
The GTSG Mainframe Support Services Offering is a proven, dynamic, and viable solution to satisfy your ever-changing needs.
No strings attached - contact us
If you'll take the time to email us with contact information, needs, requirements, etc. - and provide any form of contact so that we can follow up, our commitment to you is that we will:
- Keep your contact information on file for the sole purpose of responding to you - nothing else. No selling it, no soliciting you again - nothing.
- Respond to your request within 24 hours - work days or weekends - it makes no difference to us - we'll respond.
- Be able to understand your technical requirements - we're not salesmen - we're technical.
- Do our best to win your trust and then your business.
Email us at the following: Staffing - at - GTSG.com. The more information you can provide, the better.
Thanks for considering GTSG for your Mainframe Support needs.